Soderbergh ‘puzzled’ by baby lawsuit

Frances Lawrencina Anderson filed papers in Manhattan, New York on Wednesday (02Feb11), seeking child support payments from the married Ocean’s Eleven filmmaker for her little girl, Pearl Button, who was born in August (10).

Anderson, who allegedly had a fling with the filmmaker while he was directing a play in Sydney, is also demanding an official declaration that Soderbergh is the baby’s father.

A lawyer representing Soderbergh has now spoken out about the case, revealing the star voluntarily underwent a DNA test to prove his paternity and is surprised by Anderson’s legal action.

Attorney Bernard Clair tells the New York Post, “My client is puzzled by the filing because they’ve been involved in settlement negotiations in Australia since April. We view this filing as nothing other than an effort to forum-shop, because of the mistaken belief that New York will somehow be more generous to a baby that lives in Australia full-time than the Australian courts.”

Soderbergh, 48, is currently married to writer/journalist Jules Asner and has a daughter with his first wife Betsy Brantley.